


You're Not a Fairytale

by NiniAtTheYAC



Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Nini is struggling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-04-23 00:48:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22229371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NiniAtTheYAC/pseuds/NiniAtTheYAC
Summary: I wrote this a while ago, it's sort of a missing scene between Ricky and Nini after she sees him singing to Gina.Basically just exploring what's going on in Nini's head in that moment, and what she might say to Ricky if she was better at communicating.
Relationships: Ricky Bowen & Nini Salazar-Roberts, Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts
Comments: 3
Kudos: 70





	You're Not a Fairytale

Nini tried to stop herself. She really did. But she couldn’t unsee them together. She couldn’t wipe the image of Ricky and Gina from her mind and every time that she thought about it, her eyes began to water and her stomach flopped in discomfort. She couldn’t let Gina get Ricky too. Gina had caused enough worry and problems in her life and Ricky was going through too much. He needed to be protected. She needed to protect him.

After rehearsal, Nini waited for most of the cast to disburse before approaching Ricky. “Hey,” she said, trying to sound casual while her heart nearly burst out of her chest.

Ricky looked up from his phone and he seemed surprised to find her there. “Hey!” 

“So, I was hoping I could talk to you for a couple of minutes about some... um, stuff,” she said.

“Yeah, of course.” Ricky always had had such a good heart, and for a moment all Nini could feel was regret about everything that had gone wrong between them. 

She looked around and saw that the room was not quite empty. Most people had left, but Gina was still there, lurking in the doorway, watching them. “I- well, I was hoping we could talk alone.”

“Oh? Okay.” He followed her out onto the stage and the two of them sat at the edge, with their feet hanging off the front of the stage. Far enough away that Gina was out of sight as well as earshot. “What’s up? You seem upset, did I do something?” Ricky asked gently. 

“No! No, Ricky, you didn’t do anything wrong.” Nini took a moment to collect her thoughts. 

“So, it’s nothing I did, but I’m not wrong that you’re upset?” He asked. She nodded her head lightly, unable to look at him. Ricky reached out, gently taking her hand. “Talk to me Neens.” 

“Okay, it’s so dumb but-” She paused to take in a deep breath and then let everything rush out all at once. “I-saw-you-singing-to-Gina-earlier-and-it-kind-of-upset-me-cause-I-don’t-want-to- see-you-get-hurt.”

Ricky said nothing for a while and Nini finally looked up at him to see a surprised and somewhat annoyed look on his face. She immediately wanted to take it all back. “What the hell is that even supposed to mean Nini? You’re spying on me now? And you want to tell me how to live my life?” 

“No! Not spying, I just happened to hear you singing and I-” Nini paused for a moment trying not to say anything that she’d regret. “Doesn’t matter, the point is, she’s done some things since casting that have shown she’s really always just looking out for herself and I don’t want her to use you.”

“Use me how?” Ricky challenged her. Nini noticed though, that despite his apparent anger with her, Ricky had still never let go of her hand.   
“To get to me!” She finally said.

“Nini, we’re not together, you’ve made that very clear so how is she supposed to get to you through me?” 

Nini’s didn’t know what to say, except for a minimized version of the truth. “Because I care about you! We’re still friends and we’re both still getting through the end of things and she knows that it’ll throw me off if she hangs all over you and I know it shouldn’t but it will because no matter what, Ricky, I will never not lo- care. I mean care,” Shit. “I’ll always care about you, Ricky.” 

She felt like a feather could knock her over and her eyes stung with tears, Nini looked at Ricky, but his expression was almost unreadable. “Nini, I don’t think I’ll ever be the person that you want me to be. You want someone who isn’t damaged goods, and that’ll never be me. You deserve someone who’s whole. As much as I may hate to admit it, that’s E.J..” Ricky’s voice shook while he spoke. 

“Ricky, don’t do that.”

“Don’t do what? Tell the truth?” He sounded so defeated by everything.

“Don’t put yourself down. E.J. is not perfect, and you may have some issues, but you are so much more than them. You are one of the best people I know. I just don’t want you to get hurt. I don’t want Gina to hurt you.”

“You don’t need to worry about me, Nini. We’re broken up, and besides Gina is just a friend.” Nini knew that Ricky was never one to say things that he didn’t mean, but she also couldn’t help but think of the countless times when she’d coyly told her moms that Ricky was 'just a friend'.

Nini blinked the mist from her eyes. “Okay,” she said, pulling her hand from his grasp, not because she wanted to but because she simply couldn’t bear the thought of him pulling away from her first… again. “Okay, Ricky. I understand.” 

Ricky’s expression seemed to shift, and she had to look away. She couldn’t let herself get too close, couldn’t let him in again. Nini coughed, trying to loosen her constricting throat, “I- I should go,” she said and stood up to leave. 

“Nini?” Ricky called after her, without moving. She turned back and saw the confusion in his gaze, but then she remembered him singing to Gina, the way his smile had lit up his whole face. He was right, or Gabriella was anyway- this wasn’t a fairytale

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first hsmtmts work, but if you're an Anne with an E fan you might like some of my works over there too! Let me know what you think. I love all of these characters I just want them all to communicate more.


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